Bitter After Taste

[DyerStraights]

I recently brewed my first batch. Its an IPA extract ingrident kit I got from Kennywood Brewing. I followed the directions as well as I could, I'm sure I wasn't perfect as it was my first try. The batch spent a week in the primary and today after a week in the secondary I took a sample taste. At first it has great flavor but has an terribly bitter after taste.

My questions is did I make a mistake or am I jumping the gun?

If so, does it need to spend more time in the secondary or in the bottles?

Thanks

 

[Jaeger48]

well... if it's an IPA it'll be bitter but there are some factors that will make it taste especially so. Please post your OG, FG and recipe if possible.

 

[chefchris]

Well, it IS an IPA. How long has it been in the bottle?

 

[DyerStraights]

OG was 1.042, I will look what FG is and post the receipe later. It is currently still in the secondary. Understanding its an IPA it is abnormally bitter.

 

[Brewsmith]

Post a recipe because 1.042 is very low for an IPA.

Give the beer more time, another couple weeks before making any definitive judgments on whether it's too hoppy or not. All of the yeast, trub, and particulate matter floating around will fall out and the beer won't seem as harsh. Just give it time.

 

[ArcaneXor]

I have limited experience with brewing hoppy beers, but I have found that several of them tended to have a fairly harsh bitterness at first (probably a factor of the type of hops used, and their interaction with the yeast), that tends to mellow over several weeks and becomes more enjoyable over time. So give it a couple of extra weeks before bottling, and then leave the bottles alone for another month or so.